Galaxy S5 or iPhone 5s: Which phone should you get?

Everything you need to know to choose the best phone for you — Galaxy S5 or iPhone 5s!

The Galaxy S5 has only just been announced while the iPhone 5s has been available since September 2013. However, until the iPhone 6 launches — presumably in September of 2014 — they'll be the two top phones on the market. They'll also be very different experiences, from hardware to software to services and back. Some people will know immediately which one they want. Others will be pouring over every review, watching every video, sweating every detail, second guessing every decision. If you're one of those, if you're on the fence, I'll keep this short and sweet — if you're stuck between the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 5s, here's the one you should get...

Samsung Galaxy S5

The Samsung Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1-inch 1080p SAMOLED display at 432ppi, a 16mp rear camera, 32-bit Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16 or 32GB of flash storage (expandable via MicroSD), 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, LTE networking, replaceable battery, swipe-based fingerprint identity scanner, and get this — water resistance with a IP67 rating. What that means is that the Galaxy S5 is a monster. Samsung has, as usual, thrown every spec and every feature they can at the wall, and for some people that's exactly what's going to stick.

On the outside you have glass and plastic. It's available in white, black, blue, and gold. The stock backing is soft-touch, over-saturated, perforated and... not visually pleasing. However, because the backs can be removed they can also be swapped out for different patterns and treatments. So what you give up in terms of overall build quality and device density you gain in accessibility and customizability.

Android 4.4 KitKat powers the Galaxy S5 but it also includes Samsung's own TouchWiz interface and ton of Samsung's own apps and embellishments. That's great in that you get features galore from both Google and Samsung. It's not so great in that the two don't always meet elegantly in the middle.

Our main takeaway from our brief time with the Galaxy S5 so far is that Samsung is has been listening to customers and critics alike, and has finally gotten around to addressing many of our gripes with its build quality, software and UI. It's still a plastic phone, and a plastic phone running TouchWiz at that, but the GS5 represents a clear improvement for Samsung in a bunch of important areas. The new Samsung UI strikes us as something we might enjoy using, rather than software that's just there. And the soft-touch back feels infinitely nicer in the hand than the glossy, slimy plastic of old.

The most interesting development out of the GS5's announcement might be the arrival of waterproofing as a mainstream feature. Other Android manufacturers, notably Sony, have been doing this for a while, but a waterproof GS5 is a big commitment on Samsung's part

We'll know more when the Galaxy S5 hits store shelves, of course, and we'll update as appropriate. It's a Galaxy S phone, however, and just like its biggest competitor, it's so popular, so established, that we know what that means now.

Apple iPhone 5s

The Apple iPhone 5s has a 4-inch 640p in-cell ISP LCD display at 326ppi, an 8mp rear camera, 64-bit Apple A7 processor, 1GB of RAM, 16, 32, or 64GB of flash storage, 802.11n MIMO Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, LTE networking, and touch-based fingerprint identity sensor. Apple, as usual, has focused on fewer things. The iPhone 5s remains conservative in some ways, still best in class in others. And that's exactly what some people want.

Made of aluminum and glass, it's available in white and silver, white and gold, and black and gray. The manufacturing and build quality and ridiculous. But it comes at a price — there's no removable battery and no way to chance the back plate or get anything other than the limited options Apple gives you.

Apple call's the iPhone 5s their most forward-thinking iPhone ever, and on that they deliver. From iOS 7 to Touch ID to 64-bit, it's next-year's technology in your hand today. It's going to be on most carriers, in most countries in the world, and with the usual, unmatched app, accessory, and media support. Ultimately, it's the best iPhone ever. Again. If that's not what you want, Apple has nothing different to offer you. If it is, get it now.

iOS 7 powers the iPhone 5s, which sports Apple's newly redesigned, physics and particle engine-based interface. It's a leap ahead in many ways, yet one that hasn't quite yet stuck the landing. Apple also sticks to smaller subset of features but that tends to allow them to be more consistent and coherent.

Which one should you get?

Neither Samsung nor Apple fundamentally changed their games in the last 12 months. Once again, each simply got better at implementig their existing strategies and strengths. And that's okay. But it means the decision remains essentially the same.

If a bigger screen and the ability to customize is more important to you than running iOS and all the high quality apps and accessories that come with it, or if you simply don't like Apple, we recommend the Galaxy S4.

If access to the iOS App Store, iTunes, and Apple Stores is more important to you than the power and flexibility that comes with Android, or you simply don't like Samsung, we recommend with the iPhone 5s.

The iPhone 6

There's one other thing to keep in mind before making a final decision: This isn't an s-year for Apple. This year they'll be launching an iPhone 6. If neither the Galaxy S5 nor the iPhone 5s are insta-buys for you, wait until the fall, check out the iPhone 6, and then make your decision. Who knows, there may even be a Galaxy Note 4 to throw into the mix by then as well!

Either way — leave a comment below and let me know, iPhone or Galaxy, which one are you going to get?

I own the S4 & I want 2 get the S5, but my dad insists on getting the IPhone. I think that Apple phones break easily, as being a friend of all those who end up cracking the screen if the phone. I've gotten used 2 the big screen & don't intend on getting a smaller phone. But, I vary between how good the phone is for each

Hey, I'm going to get the Samsung S4, although
the S5 looks nice. Someone mentioned this already but saying that getting an iPhone is better cuz the iMessage and FaceTime. But I will be getting the Samsung S4 and and apple ipad. That way I can still iMessge and FaceTime.
:) Thanks!

I've had my Galaxy S5 for about two weeks now and already I'm having issues with its performance. Just recently, when trying to switch from one application to another (Pandora to my contacts list), the screen went black. Only after attempting a hard restart did the screen come back on. This happened four or five times within the same day. Each time necessitating a hard restart attempt. There is also some serious lag becoming evident in the OS. The camera is decent as stated, but nowhere near as intuitive as the iPhone. I got this phone because of its promise and the ability to upgrade the memory, but I'm beginning to think more and more that I will have to end up making the switch to Apple - even with the smaller screen.

I feel you.... I've been using samsungS4 for about a couple months... And got some problems... I end up selling it and got an iphone instead... But worry not, in a few months time, there would be larger screen iphone...

The thing that has kept me with Samsung over Apple is the ability to add storage. Apple is big on controlling everything, and some of it I don't understand. Of course they integrate all their products, that is what keeps people coming back. But I like the capability of my Galaxy S4. With a 64 gb microsd card, I don't need my phone to hook to the computer to store my photos; my S4 is the computer. But I know that it usually depends on what you are used to. If you started out with iPhone, you will probably stay with iPhone. Most people don't switch back and forth. I for one will never own an iPhone.

I just made my choice.. used unlocked GSM iPhone 5 :) $340 on eBay for the 32GB model. I had a Nexus 5, which is a very high-quality Android phone, but I missed the integration with my Mac and the quality apps available on the Apple platform.

I have a iphone 4 and i dont know if i should upgrade to the iphone 5 or get a samsung galaxy s5. I use my iphone 4 alot for the apps like all the social media apps and game apps. But i dont like being restricted by apple on what i can send or recieve from others espicialy if they dont have a iphone. So which should i get? Help me please!!!

Guys I will honetsly share my thoughts. I won't ciriticize the iphone 5s but if you compare it with a high-end smartphone like the galaxy s5...seriously guys there's no doubts : the galaxy s5 wins ! If you don't believe me check the iphone 5s specs : it is stuck at 1 GB of ram (while the galaxy s5 has a nice 2 GB of Ram) ,8 megapixel low quality camera (the s5 reached already 16 megapixels) , 1560 mAh non removable battery (s5's battery is 2800 mAh, WHICH is removable), dual-core 1.3 GHz CPU (which is even not comparable with galaxy s5's stunning quad core/ octa core 2.5 GHz CPU) , a 4.0 inch at 326 ppi small screen(which isn't comfortable for watching movies or playing games ,unlike the s5's super amoled 5.1 inch display at 432 ppi), NON-upgradable storage (unlike the the galaxy s5 , which can be upgraded up to 128 GB OF STORAGE using an Sd Card)...And if you are talking about built qualities , maybe the iphone 5s's built is better than the s5, BUT the s5 is IP67( DUST and WATER resistant) certified , wich is a major advantage over the iphone 5s. Plus talking about software I would definetly choose the galaxy s5's newly updated touchwiz UI(with 4.2.2 kitkat) over the iphone 5s's IOS 7. BECAUSE iPhone's iOS lacks in costumizability and originality. Adding some points for you guys : the galaxy s5 comes with a heart rate monitor ,fingerprint scanner, air getsures ,ULTRA power saving mode( wich is a very clever option added by samsung for saving battery energy in critical moments),usb 3.0 , TV remote control App and much more... Maybe some of you might be bored from samsung's devices because they lag and slow down , BUT believe Me : this updated touchwiz UI integrated in the galaxy s5 IS SUPERB. You will hardly find any lags....Seriously guys IF you are really confused between those two devices , then DEFINITELY choose the galaxy S5 !( Note that the galaxy s5's price is more affordable than the iphone's, which is Overpriced as usual..)You won't regret by choosing the galaxy S5 because I have enough experience in mobiles to approve that! But if you didn't like the S5 there's other cool options like the new htc one m8 , or the note 3 ,or the lg nexus 5, or the sony xperia z2 , or you can wait for the upcoming Galaxy S5 PRIME or galaxy Note 4 devices ...Thank you for reading this :)

I have always been an apple guy, and I currently have an iphone 5. But somehow i am not sure if i want an iphone anymore, or anything apple. I dont know why, but the phones and devices just doesnt impress me anymore. I had an ipad air but gave it to someone, wasnt too impress with it. My dad had a Samsung galaxy s5 which i loved, and my mom has the note 2 which also impressed me. I dont know why, but for the first time, i had to get a replacement for my iphone, the iphones just seem more fragile and breakable to me, maybe because i dont have a case or i use it a lot. I am currently still with my iphone 5 till november which will be good for me, because the iphone 6 might be available. But i dont know if i want an iphone or an another device.. I also wanted to try an android device because i play a lot of games, and i want to be covered for both because i have friends who have ios and friends who have android. So i will see what happens in november and which phones will be available and see what happens. But so far iphones are slowly becoming not that great and i am looking for other phones. I dont like windows phones because it reminds me of windows 8, with those tiles which i am not crazy about. So either samsung galaxy s5 or iphone 6 will be my choices if the 6 comes out.

Been a devout Android user for years and years hence the handle, but since I've been using an iPhone 5S and iPad Air, I've come to appreciate the quality and the care that Apple puts in its products. And apps on iOS are just plain flat out better looking and more smooth than those on Android. Though easy access to sharing options are more limited than on Android.

The Android is prone to catching malware and viruses which causes battery drain, reboots, and drastically slows the OS down...and on the other hand the Iphone doesnt come with an expandable memory sd card slot, multitasking isnt nearly intuitive, the user is still stuck with having to come in and out of apps to read and send message replys and comes out the box with its own battery drain issues.
I'll stick with the BlackBerry z10 or z30 as my options

I want to stay with the iPhone, I've had every version from the 3gs, but I mainly use my phone for reading Kindle books, watching Sky Sports, BBC iplayer etc, and the screen is just too small and giving me eyestrain.
Providing the iPhone 6 has a larger screen I'll stay where I am. If not will give a larger screen android phone a try.

I just want to say that i am around every major smartphone everyday. I get to interact with them on a daily basis. Either one of my coworkers owns it, or the phone is on display. I get to interact with it before most people even see it. When I was deciding on a phone several yrs ago, I spent a lot of time looking at the different features of all the top smartphones. I own mostly Apple products but I was very, very objective in my decision making process. I simply wanted the best smart phone available. To me the iPhone was and still is the best smartphone on the planet. I will be upgrading to the 5s. Apple just has a formula that know one can match.

You wrote: "If a bigger screen and the ability to customize is more important to you than running iOS and all the high quality apps and accessories that come with it, or if you simply don't like Apple, we recommend the Galaxy S4."
it should actually be we recommend the Galaxy S5, currently it's very misleading

One thing only I wish my iPhone 5s had is a bigger screen. Like 4.7" or something but not bigger then 5". I would never change it with any other devices out there. Samsung galaxy phones are decent phones, just not for me. The iPhone 6 with 4.7" edge to edge screen and not bigger phone overall is gonna make me upgrade. And am sure Apple is gonna do something amazing with the iPhone 6.

"If a bigger screen and the ability to customize is more important to you than running iOS and all the high quality apps and accessories that come with it, or if you simply don't like Apple, we recommend the Galaxy S4."

If you don't like the backing of the Galaxy S5 you can simply replace it since it is removable, last year ebay had listings for countless different backings for the Galaxy S4 that looked 10x better than what it comes with and for only like $5 a piece.

I'm waiting for a video starring Jonathan Ive and his partner the mysterious "White Background" in which he will tell me how the iPhone 6 has revolutionized the tech industry with features that have been available forever on other platforms.

I am more on the fence than I have ever been regarding the iPhone 6 and galaxy S5. I love the waterproof and the large screen on the S5 so i'll just have to wait and see what apple do with the iPhone 6. But I love iOS, iMessage, facetime, and not having to work so hard for my phone, and as much as there are benefits to being able to customise your phone the way that you want android has never really done it for me. So yeah like I said I'm really on the fence I'll just have to wait and see what apple dose. PS bring on the iwatch

before i had my iPhone 5 i had a couple of android phones. i was always customising settings and having to choose what option i wanted. it was buggy and slow, it would freeze all the time and then when i had to do updates it was a long drawn out process. if you didn't do the updates stuff would stop working. so yeah i just found my self constantly working for my phone. when i got iOS i just used it and it just worked. it was smooth and clean and easy if not a bit limited. i have not used android since but i have seen people using it and i am told it has gotten better. i would consider giving it another try with the s5 except all my friends are on iOS now and we all do iMessage and facetime. but if apple don't do a bigger or big enough screen this time (at least 5") i may have to look at switching back. and waterproof wouldn't hurt either. i think the rumoured iwatch will be the tie breaker.

90% of iphone user slap a rubber or plastic case or a otterbox making their phones ugly bricks so I don't see the point of your build quality argument, plus you can easily replace the back for something else on ebay for like $5 they have countless different backings for the Galaxy S4, the Gs5 will eb no different.

This is not to say the phone won't be every bit as good as a flagship Android device typically is, but it will have its usual quirks. I don't mind the fact that companies like Samsung, HTC and LG develop their own interfaces and themes. You do not necessarily want your phone to look like the six or seven models that came out within the same time frame. When the features are compelling, useful and unobtrusive I welcome the additions. When a company opts to lean towards a heavy graphical interface and a ROM that takes up 8GB, I have a problem with that.

While I realize this is basically a blog post, I have to wonder.. is proofreading is dead? Numerous spelling errors, and at the end, if the reader cares more about a big screen, etc, you recommend the S4. Not the S5, which the article is about, but the S4. Good work.

All that aside, You basically say that the only reason to get the iPhone is if you like the App Store, iTunes, and the Apple Store. LOL! That pretty much tells me that the Galaxy S5 is the better phone. Kind of impressed to see that on an Apple-centric site.

If your contract is finish you better getting a iPhone 5s because it is easy to resell when the iPhone 6 comes out! If I would be an android fan I would go for the HTC one 2/UP and the you have a good looking device with all bells and whistles!

It doesn't boil down to the phone you should get, but what OS you want. All these Android phones are basically the same exact thing. Same specs, same screen size, same memory, different lables on the back.

So do you want Android or iOS? I've had my share of Android devices and wasn't impressed with it at all.

The same thing? Really, each manufacturer puts its own skin over the OS, so to say they are the same thing wouldn't really be correct. Plus you can install different launchers and themes which could really make your phone completely unique. If you weren't impressed at all, then you haven't used an Android phone in several years. Having used both Android and iOS very recently, I would say that iOS has been playing catch up for the last year, or maybe even two years. Apple has also fallen way behind on display specs, and hardware specs as well.

I'd say it basically comes down to, do you wanna be perceived to be "cool," and have an iPhone, or do you want to be on the bleeding edge of mobile technology?

Skins are a visual UI thing, it has nothing to do with enhancing the actual functionality of what Android is. Sure, you can color the icons and make them look different, but it's still Android under the hood. And as for playing catch up with screen sizes, I'd have to say you need a drug screening. Ever heard of the iPad and iPad Mini? And how is a big screen on a phone anywhere near the "bleeding edge of mobile technology" when the iPad has a bigger screen than every single large screen phone?

Maybe I do need a drug screening. I thought we were talking about phones, not tablets...

So let's talk specs. Did you read the article? The S5 display is 1080p at 432ppi, compared to 640p at 326ppi for the iPhone. The S5 also has twice the RAM and twice the megapixels on the rear camera. Let's not for the expandable storage up to 64GB.

Clearly, you're one of the people who has bought the myth that Apple makes the best. Don't get me wrong, the iPhone is a darn fine piece of technology. It's just not the best. Not anymore. Remember when they said the Retina display on the iPhone was so superior to Android phones? Then they didn't use it on the iPad Mini, and said the Retina display wouldn't make a difference on a screen that small. So why tout it on the even smaller iPhone screen? Oh, right... to lie to your customers so they think they got something great, and to jack up the prices on inferior technology. Whoops.

Well, the S5 is brand new and the iPhone 5S is 6 months old. Tech leapfrogs like this. And I do believe Apple hardware is better than Samsung hardware. I've owned numerous piles of shit from Samsung. And believe me, they were piles of shit. Never again. Whereas my G3 Powerbook lasted 7 years before I sold it on eBay, I think that's pretty good.

And every single time Apple releases an iPhone and 6 months later someone else releases their product, I hear the same tired old stupid ass story about how the iPhone isn't the best anymore. It's a tired and worn out argument. It sounds like the lame ass arguments where people said Windows was better because it was on more hardware. Or even further, "my Windows runs at 1.2 ghz and your Mac runs at 1 ghz"... stupid.

The iPhone hasn't been the best phone, spec-wise, for the last couple of iterations. I mean, it's still only 640p?? Pretty sure Android phones from a couple of years ago were better than that. The iPhone is a still a great phone, though. Just not the best any more, that's all. Maybe the iPhone 6 will have some super innovation when it comes out. But if the big news is a bigger screen, it'll be more imitation, rather than innovation.

True, I was pertaining more toward looks and materials they're made from. Spec wise and feature packed the new Androids are just beast. I also am an iPhone user because when I bought my phone I was not impressed with the current Adroid at all. but Android sure has come a long way very quickly and is making it easy to switch these days.

Since I've been using the iPhone, I have really been enjoying a device that just works. I don't have the desire to customize my phone like you can do with Android, but that's me. My dad just got his first smart phone, at 70 mind you, and loves it. He got the Galaxy S4 Mini and since it's all he's been exposed to, he has no desire to learn something else. I'm his tech support of course, so helping him figure stuff out is a little bit of a challenge at times, but I've never used an Android device before. I think my BlackBerry experience from a few years ago comes in handy for that.

I'm on the s-cycle of iPhones so it'll be interesting to see what the 6s is like.

I went with the iPhone 5s in GOLD, and I'm getting rid of my Blackberry Z10 in lieu of the Galaxy Note 3. While the 5s will remain my daily driver, the Note 3 will be used mostly for business as phone and tablet....phablet.

I like your articles a lot Rene, I really do, but I've noticed more and more the lack of revision after the article has been written. There are many syntax errors and you even mention the S4 instead of the S5 one time. Please take the time to review the article before posting!

I'm so tempted by the larger screen! I do so much reading and web surfing on my phone that 4" just feels way too small these days! With Verizon's new Next plan, I'm thinking of "temporarily" switching to GS5 until iPhone 6 just to get my feet wet. Also considering just adding a line to my plan to check it out. However, if iPhone 6 does not have a larger screen, I will definitely switch to GS5, Nexus, or whatever else is out there.

The iPhone 5s is widely considered the best smartphone on the planet. It offers best-in-class hardware design, superior apps, and a clean, easy to navigate OS. If rumors are true, which I hope they are, the iPhone 6 will have a larger display. Which, beside longer battery life, and a lower price, is the number one request. That will solve millions of Android customers' qualms about the iPhone. And mine. The iPhone 6 will likely be my iPhone 5s, the best smartphone on the planet, with a much awaited larger screen. The choice for me is clear. Galaxy S5.... Just kidding! I'm all iPhone 6, all the way.

The iPhone 5S is not the best phone on the planet. There are a number of Android devices that trump this device, like the Note 3, G2, even the S4. I had one for 10 days and returned it and went back to Android. It is not that good, objectively speaking, but I can see why some people may prefer it.

Screen size is the only allure the GS5 has for me. It looks like a nice phone with a nice screen, although I am reading that the fingerprint scanner does not work well, but that's not the reason I could never buy one of these phones. I just can't abide the look and feel of most Android apps. When you compare the iMore, Verge, Cnet, and other apps' iOS and Android versions, the difference in quality, look, feel, and operation between them, there is no comparison, the iOS versions are SO much better. Most are just a scrolling screen list, no nice graphics, nothing. Look at the Paper for Facebook app, you just can't have something like that on Android evidently, or at least no one is doing it. The imagination of iOS developers and the quality of the apps they are building are just so much better. A side note, there is no difference between the phone and tablet versions of these and most other apps either, just a bigger screen.

In terms of specs the galaxy s5 looks like a powerhouse, but it's major downfall is the software.
I've been through the jail breaking phase, the customizing every aspect of the OS phase, but for me, the iPhone as it is with IOS is for the most part, just as it should be. No jail breaking required. The experience you get with the iPhone, IOS and all the brilliant Apps you can get is what makes the device so great. It's the overall experience.
There are great Android handsets coming out now, but the problem is they all run Android and their own bolted on Apps.
For me, even google apps look arguably cleaner and better on IOS 7.
A Samsung Galaxy S5 with IOS 7 on it, would be great.
Apple also tend to specify hardware components in a way that often doesn't give you the full picture when just looking at specs. You see this often with Mac vs PC and on paper the hardware specs don't look as impressive, but the performance, battery life and overall experience is better.
A larger display in the iphone 6 is a must, but until then, the iPhone 5s is the one I would pick everyday if the week.

In your opinion, the Google apps may look cleaner in iOS, but be aware that they are also lacking features that the Android versions have. I think that's kinda true with the iPhone vs Android phones in general. The iPhone looks slick and clean, but when you get past that, it's not as feature filled as an Android phone. I guess it comes down to, do you want looks, or do you want features?

I already own a 5s and am very happy with it. I have to admit, I am a bit jealous of that larger, higher density display on the S5. Although I agree with Apple's decision so far to hold off on a display that large due to not wanting to make compromises, I sincerely hope we will see a larger display this fall with the iPhone 6. If so, I will trade in my 5s in a heartbeat.

GS5 or Sony Z2 (I like the build quality but have had bad experience with Sony's customer service and doubt their ability to quickly update android versions). Have had iPhones since forever, but im switching this Spring. I've been holding to an iPhone 4s for years waiting for changes I didnt find in the iphone 5 or the iPhone 5s.

Of course the Android flagships are flawed, but so is the iPhone. And since I dont really need or want Touch ID (or any lookalike), switching aint that bad. Plus I've found myself jailbreaking my phones all these years to enable features that Apple won't and that are native on Android (choose a default browser, customize the control center, kill all apps at once, etc.). I wont really lose much when it comes to apps either: the apps I use on my iPhone are mostly free and already exist on the Android market. Most of my paid content (games, media, productivity tools, etc.) are only accessed from my iPad devices.

The iPhone is unmatched when it comes to quality of build, Apple customer service is impeccable, updating the phone is a simple task and the system is reliable as hell, but it's time for me to venture somewhere else. Lucky I am relatively tech-savvy and like to fiddle around menus, so Android wont be a problem. It might more clunky, but Im sure I'll get by. Plus it's just a phone. If it turns to a nightmare I'll ebay it and go back to Apple. Provided the iPhone 6 brings changes. Significant changes.

I'm right there with you my friend. I've had an iPhone 4S since launch and haven't upgraded to the 5 or the 5S because the changes weren't significant enough. Yeah, LTE was a good addition but the lack of a substantial increase of battery did not help this addition. The screen got bigger as well but not in the way I thought it would, it just got taller.

I've been holding out for as long as i can but this year is the last. The 4S with its original battery after 2.5 years needs to be replaced, dies at random intervals whether it be 80% or 50%, doesn't matter, it dies when it wants to. I'm looking for Apple to really increase the screen size this year but more importantly, really give a big boost to the battery life/size. They've improved the battery life in the MacBook and the iPad, it's really time for them to do something about the iPhone. If not, I'll just deal with the crap from Samsung & TouchWiz with the Note 4.

You do know that a bigger screen size and increased battery life are counter intuitive, right? Takes a lot more power to run a bigger screen. That said, they should be able to put a bigger battery in there as well.

or do what Many android users do and download Nova Launcher, its in the top 10 paid apps on the play store and their is a free versions, its basically like having stock android, runs way faster then touchwiz but maintains all the useful touchwiz features plus you can customize to death with ease with different icon pacs widgets ect and doesn't require any rooting.

Or I highly recommend getting a Nexus 5, for the latest updates a smooth simple experience, it was how Google intended android to be, not to mention only cost $350 off contract with equal or better specs than the iphone 5s.

The Samsung phones aren't really options for me. We buy PCs and uninstall the bloat most have. Why in the world would I go out and buy a smartphone loaded with bloatware you can't remove? I've never seen a Dell review for instance talking about how great it is you get features from both MS and Dell.

I guess I thought we were speaking more generally about Android at this point. I do not own a Samsung phone. But I never considered their core features bloat, but that is just my opinion. But what you are asking for is pretty much the Google Play edition which exists for the s4.

Android phones are easily rooted, and you can then install one of the many custom ROMs available for free. That get rid of all the Samsung bloatware. Maybe not something the average user would be willing to do, but it can be done.

Interesting comparison. The galaxy should really be compared to the iPhone 5c. The quality and design of the 5s is no comparison. In this day in time who wants to be bother with removing batteries and face plates, it's 2014!

After to much thinking and so much search I did stay with my iPhone 5. I will wait for iPhone 6! I simply like iOS and that comes not in question. The only thing I would like to see is maybe a bigger screen (but not to much bigger). Just enough ti feel it hand and not in my pocket.
Also maybe some camera improvements, but I'm happy with this one on iPhone 5 too. Well, I think I'm not hard costumer. I prefer security, design and easy walk trough OS!

Nokia Windows Phone for me this year. The other guys are so stagnated and afraid to nnovate that it is time to start supporting the smaller but more user-centric players. Neither Apple nor Android makers seem to care about the user experience any more. It is now all about specs -- how many bits, how many cores, etc., which could not care less. I want maps that work. I want a camera that performs when I need, not just in studio conditions. I want a rugged structure that can take a drop. I want a screen that I can read outdoors.

Well, doesn't look like a difficult choice. If camera quality and speed, UI speed, battery life while browsing, design, software to take advantage of the device, ecosystem, security for the common user, screen accuracy and support the innovators is your priority, then it's the iPhone.

I don't know if I would give Samsung huge props since the only components really available right now are only for a marginal bump. I am sure if there was a Snapdragon 950 processor out there it would be in this beat. No phone will ever make me want to camp out anywhere to get it though. That is ridiculous in general. (I think Black Friday shoppers are ridiculous too).

I've been putting off buying my first smartphone for months. Although I'm itching to buy a 5s (and I have come close many times) I'm now holding out for a slightly larger screen (ageing eyesight !) which we will hopefully see with the iPhone 6. The Samsung just does not appeal to me, so really my decision will definitely be iPhone, but 5s or 6 remains to be seen.

I'm in the same boat as you. Still holding back before upgrading to my first smartphone. I just bought my first iPad Air this January. Ditched my old PC and won't return to Windows in my life if I can help it. iOS7 is a superior system. Just like you, I'm holding back and waiting for iPhone 6 before making any decision.

I progressed from iPod touch 4th gen to iPad 3. I too recently bought an iPad Air, this time for my wife, both of us rarely use our old Windows laptops now and doubt we would buy a Windows device again. I bought my daughter an iPhone 5 last year when the 5s launched, she loves it. A Macbook Pro is on my wish list but the iPhone 6 is definitely above it !

If your not strapped into google services, you might consider a Z30. Nice big screen, huge battery, and with 10.2.1 all the apps you can shake a stick at. Can also ajust the text size system wide. Just a thought.

Me too Rene. I mention it only because after a day of observing the S5 i'm not that interested in it. And it's a decent deal. the one detraction is it lacks an sd card port which coming from a 64gb iphone seems needed as i like lots of space. I could maybe deal with 32. But i'm staying open to all new devices. But I expect you're right that the iphone 6 and htc one. That said i'm a pretty basic user and many of the additions aren't that important to me like fingerprints or waving over an android screen. So how much better will be subjective to me. Is it worth the added cost of an htc, iphone 6, s5 at retail, or maybe would, like my mother would i be just as happy with last years model phone at a substantial discount. FYI she bought an iphone 5 last august knowing the 5s was around the corner. She's perfectly happy.

I had a Nexus 5, ended up getting an iPhone 5s. The battery life is horrible! One day while traveling from Knoxville, TN to Nashville with my phone just sitting on the console, no apps open the battery drained from 27% to 5%. That's a 3 hour drive and a 22% drop with no use!!

With my iPhone I can go from 6 am-10pm on a single charge with 20-25% battery left, with the Nexus 5 I was looking for a charger between 3-4 pm everyday!

There are always going to be people with different battery issues. The Nexus 5 should not drain idle like that, possibly a rouge app that wasn't displaying as using battery who knows. My coworker has a 5s that cannot make it through a workday with moderate use... ever.

I am completely aware of the Nexus 5's poor battery life. With root it is very manageable, but that is a different story. The iphone is not known for it's stellar battery life either, that is the only thing I am trying to say.

That was just one category tested. I can only speak from experience. The 5s in my household and the ones that my friends have used are hitting one work day max. While my LG G2 can almost go into day 3 with similar use.

That is definitely weird. I have a Nexus 5 and I get normally get through an entire day with it. If I am not using it the battery life has never been an issue. I wish it had the battery life of the LG G2 though for sure.

Depends what your looking for really. Can't beat the customization of android, even with a jailbroken phone. while an iphone "just works" it bothers me how locked down it is. For example, I would like to be able to send mp3's to my friends if i have a new artist i want them to check out, or watch movies from my phone on a tv without apple TV. I realize where i am and the kind of reaction i will probably receive for saying this but bb10 works the best for me, it's a solid OS with all the goodies I need. The S4(5?) is a solid device though for sure as an upgrade to a 4S

The iPhone doesn't "just work." At least that wasn't my experience with the 5S. Went back to Android after 10 days.

To be honest, while the build quality is nice, the 5S just doesn't give the impression that it's worth the amount of money Apple is charging for it. Had the 32GB Model, and the 32GB Note 3 (standard of Verizon) was simply a much better value never mind a lot of the hardware in that device simply delivers in a way that the iPhone and iOS just doesn't.

Yes, I am using Samsung because of the larger screen size, though I'm a Note person rather than pentile Galaxy S series person.

The day Apple releases a larger phone, I'd switch sides like the biggest traitor ever. At this point any larger size iPhone would do because I hate to have the most powerful android of the year and not get any OS updates the next year while even several year old iPhones get updated to the latest

Hey 4:12 am I'm 4:56 am!!!
Anyways, i believe that you should get a iPhone depending on your age, to me apple products are simple and easy to use while the galaxies (to me) have a lot of unnecessary junk like root browser and Google + and Google Email etc. Galaxies are more advanced than iPhones but iPhones have that simplicity, I personally would get an iPhone and if your like 13 or 15, many of your friends might have iPhones and it would be cool to FaceTime a friend than calling them like the galaxy does... But its your choice and this is MY OPINION... Others may think differently!